


Contamination

by kinglyace



Category: Flight Rising
Genre: Mentions of past abuse, More tags to be added, Multi, mentions of trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2019-10-19 15:42:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17604176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinglyace/pseuds/kinglyace
Summary: Recovering from the backlash and destruction wrought by the former royal family, the citizens of Aegedon island are preparing for another harsh winter, until a mysterious substance begins appearing on their beaches. The threat to their island is not taken lightly, yet Aegedon may find itself dealing with powers beyond their knowledge.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> FR user mangoramune is having a multiclan lore event on the main site and they were kind enough to invite me to the group! I'm posting here mostly for ease of record, since FR's forums aren't really my favorite.

            There was a fine mist over the entire island, tempering the weak sunlight from above. There was the promise of snow on the wind, coming in from the Icefields.

            It made Luella’s joints ached as she rose from her couch, gathering the rumpled folds of her kilt and sash around her. The load of work around her was becoming endless, with winter fast approaching and only having one ship to send to the mainland. The logistics of trying to feed everyone alone was enough to start her migraine up again.

“My Queen, are you awake? I have urgent news,” came Pelageya’s soft voice as she opened the far door an inch. Luella could do nothing more than release a bone deep sigh and gesture for Pelageya to enter.

“Would I be wrong to hope for good news?” Luella asked as she shuffled from the couch to the desk, to pour herself a cup of very cold tea from a pot leftover from the night before. Pelageya shook her head as she drew close, her armor clinking noisily against the tile floor.

“It pains me to say, my Queen, but we have reports from Yadira and Gavarenth at the southern beach. A tar like substance has been found in the sand, and it’s quickly spreading towards the forest. I’ve sent scouts to the other beaches, but I fear they will say the same thing,” Pelageya reported, her voice turning grave.

            Luella watched her face carefully, eyes turning narrow beneath furrowed brows.

“Have you consulted with Sybil or Ines yet? This sounds like their specialty.”

“They already went down to the southern beach, but couldn’t say what it was. Sybil believes it may have something to do with that warning letter we received,” Pelageya’s voice turned hushed, her eyes darting to the carefully stamped parchment resting at the top of a pile. Their little island was not used to correspondence, much less from Clans so far away.

“I want all of our mages that we can spare down there then. If this… thing is as bad as we were informed, I want it at the very least contained. The last thing we need is magical creatures threatening us with winter coming.”

“Yes, my Queen.”

“And as a precaution, keep Kissima and her caretakers away from the beaches. Send them to the mainland if need be, but she doesn’t need another relapse. We still haven’t recovered from the last one.”

“Of course, my Queen.”

 

~~~

            The mist had barely subsided by the time Duilin had picked her way down to the southern beach, clinging still to the edge of the forest and the slow waves of the sea. She could barely make out the forms of Ines and Sybil, arguing back and forth as several others walked the beach with containment spells at the ready. A cursory glance up and down the strip of sand confirmed that tar was everywhere, seeping up from beneath and oozing into thick puddles.

            There was an undercurrent of foul magic beneath though, pulsing along the ground and straight into her feet. It felt… like a heartbeat, slow as if in slumber yet ready to wake at any given moment. She paused and dug her feet further into the sand, searching for firmer ground. She was no Earth mage of course, but she could still find focus and pull on the foreign magic coursing through the beach.

            The beach faded away around her, a blank nothing that was neither warm nor cold. She reached out, reaching for the faint thread of magic that didn’t belong on Aegedon. The pulse began to beat faster, a rhythmic drumming that made her whole essence throb in time. She reached farther, letting the beat wash over her. Faster, faster… there was almost no pause between now, there was nothing but the thrumming of something ancient and old and _powerful._

            It was… it too much all of a sudden. There was heartbeat, just a senseless echoing roar that made Duilin’s head start to scream with agony. She tried to pull away but it wouldn’t let her go, it refused to cease. It was drowning her, dragging her down into the depths of a yawning darkness. Too much, too much, TOO MUCH!

“Duilin!”

            Her body and the beach slammed back into focus, color and sound exploding around her. Every nerve ending in her body burned, bright and harsh as if she’d been dropped in lava and raked across the coals.

“Duilin, Duilin can you hear me?” Ines’ voice sounded far away, his hands a welcoming ice to her burning face.

“We are in danger… please… we need to leave!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kissima, Thais and Ruusu reach the mainland for a "vacation" and Captain Hypatia attempts to run supplies back the island.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, I struggled I'm not gonna lie. I recently moved and graduated from community college, and writers block has been sucky. Hopefully I'll get better the more I get back to writing!

“We’ll pick you up in a month, so don’t go across the continent. And be wary, I’ve heard rumors of old creatures roaming about. I’d like to bring you all back home, preferably in one piece,” Hypatia said, watching as her passengers disembarked the ship. Kissima gave no signal she had even heard the captain, her ears laid flat against her head and tail whipping back and forth. She was off the ship and had melded into the crowd without a word to her companions. Ruusu gave an apologetic squeak before taking off after Kissima, feathers ruffled and trying to keep above the crowd.

“My thanks, Captain Hypatia. I know sailing with Kissima isn’t… your favorite, but I do appreciate the speed on such short notice,” Thais said. He adjusted his glasses and sighed, watching as Ruusu circled above Kissima. They weren’t too far yet, luckily.

“I would prefer this than her ‘outbursts’ frankly. I can weather a foul mood, not a tantrum,” Hypatia returned, watching the crowd. If it were up to her, Kissima would have been taken care of and this wouldn’t be a problem. But she was neither Queen nor powerful enough to even hold a candle to the orange dragon.

“Agreed… I wish you a safe return home, Captain. We will await your return,” Thais bowed his head and finally made his way down to the piers, weaving through the crowd with ease.

 

            A few hours and Hypatia had them back on the water, the cargo filled with fresh food for the island and much needed supplies for Aaja and Andromeda. With the arrival of this, the two engineers could finally enact their ‘solar energy’ idea and perhaps it would be easier to power the shield around the island. Finally, after months without protection, they would be safe.

            Two hours into the journey back home, and Hypatia sensed something was wrong. Her crew knew something as well, judging by the agitated way they kept bouncing from rail to rail to look down into the water. There was something foul in the air, the closer they drew to the island. Like rotting fish, or even dragon corpses floating on the surface. But every glance down to the water yielded nothing, only rolling blue waves.

“Everyone, on your guard!” she boomed, claws scraping against the deck as she swept across the deck. They sprang into action before her, shouting to one another as they jumped to their positions. Every soul aboard was keenly aware of pending danger, rumbling just below the surface.

            Silence descended upon them, a collective breath held in anticipation that a mere pin drop could break. The steering wheel in Hypatia’s hands creaked, wood groaning beneath her tense grip. Her heart was beating hard in her chest, making her ears ring and head hurt.

            A pillar of water exploded into the air port side, pelting the crew with bullet-like icy water. They cried out, diving for cover and a few unlucky souls found themselves washed up against the opposite rail. Hypatia barked out orders, but they were lost as a giant tail came crashing upon her deck. The ship shuddered and then shrieked, wood buckling like wet tissue paper. Screams began to fill the air as the tail began to slide away, taking with it chunks of splintered wood and knocking against the main mast. Hypatia could barely make it out amongst the sea spray and flurry of movement, but the sight of bone and decaying flesh was clear.

            Another pillar of water came from starboard, making the ship tilt perilously close into the rocking waves. But there was no crushing blow this time, only the leering form of a desiccated corpse staring right at Hypatia. The eyes had been eaten away, leaving only hollowed out sockets where coral and salt had crusted the surface. There was little left of the hide, but the pattern of shimmering blue-green was recognizable, all the way up to the signature tuft of hair hanging from a bare and yellowed jaw bone.

“IT’S TYPHON! EVERYONE JUMP SHIP!” Hypatia screamed, just before the zombiefied corpse opened its jaw wide and descended upon them. He took the ship in his jaws, cutting through the weakened frame as if it were nothing. He paid no mind to the dragons taking flight around him, zeroed in on destroying her ship entirely.

            “Captain! What do we do?!” her first mate screamed as Hypatia took flight, Typhons’ massive fangs mere inches from ripping into her as well.

“Fly to the island! We’re close enough to make it- but this doesn’t bode well,” she barked, circling around the remainder of her crew. At least twenty had been lost in the carnage, mixed with the wreckage below. Typhon, either pleased with his work or finally called off, slipped back beneath the water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I subsist off Dr.Pepper and alfredo pasta!

**Author's Note:**

> Shorter than I usually do for a chapter, but hopefully the chapters will get longer as the lore develops. Also, be on the lookout for other drabbles with other dragons in my clan!


End file.
